Wishing…on a Horse?

It’s no secret that we live in a fast-paced world, where we crave instant gratification. We want everything now. That’s why we love texting, binge TV viewing episodes of “Breaking Bad,” posting on Facebook, Twitter, communicating via FaceTime, fast food delivery, microwaves and anything that gets us what we want immediately.

This “gotta have it now” attitude is most apparent in China right at this very moment, as the entire country anticipates ringing in the Chinese New Year (or Spring Festival, as it’s often called by locals) with the phrase Mashang, referring to the upcoming Year of the Horse. Mashang in Chinese literally means “on the horse,” and is usually used metaphorically to mean “at horse speed” or “immediately.”

The latter meanings of the word seem to have kick-started a heightened sense of anticipation for the upcoming Chinese New Year. Many Chinese are hopeful that if they put their most desired object or wish on the back of a horse, then that item will come to them immediately, or as fast as a horse can carry it. Having fun with this superstition, Chinese netizens have flooded the Internet with images of various items on horseback — from real stallions to stuffed toys. In fact, one person even posted a picture of an eggplant drawn on horseback because eggplant is the homophone for “everything” in Chinese. A bit ambitious, perhaps, but who are we to judge?

Here at CSOFT, we too are in a celebratory mood, having kicked off our own Chinese New Year festivities early in Shanghai on January 17^th. The event was also the final stop on our 10-10-10-anniversary tour — 10 events in 10 cities to celebrate 10 years of phenomenal growth. At CSOFT’s recent State of the Company address, our President and CEO, Ms. Shunee Yee, reflected on the Year of the Horse saying, “The first 10 years at CSOFT weren’t always smooth, and the success we now enjoy certainly didn’t come as fast as a horse could carry it. Similarly, as CSOFT looks forward at the next ten years, our journey is not going to be a sprint, but a marathon.”

So as CSOFT welcomes mashang many things during this Spring Festival, it is with a slightly different approach, perhaps, than the rest of the country.  We won’t be wishing for continued instant success today or the tomorrow, because we understand that enduring success is cultivated through a devotion to diligence, focus and teamwork.

At CSOFT, we hope that whatever you’re wishing for this Chinese New Year comes true, whether it arrives by horse today, or by some other way ten years from today. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

If you’re interested in learning more about CSOFT’s globalization and localization solutions, don’t forget to visit csoftintl.com!